Dick and Angel Strawbridge had '200 reasons not to buy' French chateau

What did you miss?

Dick and Angel Strawbridge had many reasons not to buy the French chateau that they would later magically transform. They took the plunge and it would then change the course of their lives forever.

Episode two of their new show Secret France kicked off with archive footage from 2015 which melted the hearts of fans at home. In the throwback footage, the couple were entering the 45-room chateau which at the time was in great need of renovation.

The couple didn't mind sharing that they had 200 reasons - and more - not to originally buy the property that would go onto become their forever home, the beating heart of their TV show Escape to the Chateau and a stunning wedding venue.

What, how and why?

In scenes airing on Secret France, Dick and Angel looked excited and nervous in equal measure as they opened the doors in 2015 to their new home.

The voiceover introduced them saying: "Back in 2015, an intrepid British couple Dick and Angel Strawbridge bought a neglected 45-room French chateau.

In a flashback at the beginning of the show, Dick could be seen holding a hefty stack of paperwork in a ring binder. While flicking through the pages, the TV personality made a big statement about the house. He said: "200 plus pages of reasons of why not to buy a house."

Despite any concerns, the couple decided to make it their family home and the rest is history. They documented their renovations with their show, winning them a legion of fans at home who have been on this journey with them.

The voiceover continued on Secret France: "It was a huge undertaking. But having spent so much time creating this extraordinary family home, and running a wedding and events business, they haven't had many chances to explore France. But now with their chateau almost complete, Dick and Angel are hitting the road."

Instead of renovations and DIY, the couple take the time to visit some of the scenery and local treasures including visiting an antique market and taking part in an Armagnac grape harvest in their travel show.

How did fans react?

Dick and Angel fans were delighted to see the pair back on Channel 4 with their latest series Secret France and they hailed the new series a success. Among the comments, one person wrote: "Loving Secret France and brilliant seeing you both back on our screens."

Someone else wrote: "Such an incredible programme again tonight, can't believe it's the final one next Sunday. Thank you for another amazing series!"

Another added: "@dickstrawbridge Another brilliant #secretfrance. Is there any chance we could get another series from the Chateau? Loved the series."

More added: "Loving the series so far - next stop France."

A long-time fan wrote: "Love this programme!!!!! Xx."

• Read more: Dick and Angel issue verdict on chateau's future amid sale rumours (Liverpool Echo)

Secret France is only a three-part series that concludes on Father's Day, Sunday, 16 June. It took the couple exploring different parts of France: The Auvergne, Gascony and Marseille.

It comes after Dick and Angel parted ways from Channel 4 amid accusations of bullying and a leaked rant. The Strawbridges said they had decided to call time on their TV show Escape To the Chateau in 2021.

Dick told The Sunday Times in October 2023: "We had the most amazing nine series and finished all our commitments. It didn’t really make sense to us. Escape to the Chateau had finished on a wonderful high. There was no story. Nothing really happened. We’d stopped. We didn’t necessarily understand what was going on. We weren’t worried about it."

He added: "Mediocrity comes from compromise and we don’t compromise. Both of us are headstrong. When it comes down to finding the best way forward we keep going until it’s right. That’s why every single thing in our lives has to be right."

Watch the last instalment of Secret France with Dick and Angel on Channel 4 next Sunday.